CONNECTICUT LABOR DEPARTMENT IMPORTANTE - TENGA ESTO TRADUCIDO INMEDIATAMENTE

EMPLOYMENT SECURITY DIVISION

TAA -228 Reauthorization 2015(New 9/2015)

TRADE ACT BENEFITS

(Reauthorization 2015)

BENEFIT RIGHTS INFORMATION AND RESPONSIBILITIES

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU READ THIS INFORMATION TO UNDERSTAND WHAT BENEFITS ARE AVAILABLE, HOW TO APPLY FOR EACH BENEFIT AND HOW TO QUALIFY FOR EACH BENEFIT.

Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) helps workers who have been adversely affected by foreign competition and are covered by the TAA certification. This document provides information about the benefits and reemployment services that may be available under TAA to help you prepare for and obtain suitable employment. TAA benefits and services include: training; job search allowances; relocation allowances; Trade Readjustment Allowances (TRA); andReemployment Trade Adjustment Assistance (RTAA), a wage subsidy for workers 50 years of age and older.

REEMPLOYMENT SERVICES

TRAININGYou will have an opportunity to meet with staff in your local American Job Centercenter for an assessment of youremployment and training needs. You will be advised about the employment outlook for workers with different job skills, the kinds of work best suited to your aptitudes and interests, and the no-cost instructional opportunities that may be available to you such as workshops on résumé writing and interviewing techniques. If there are no suitable jobs, and training would improve your reemployment chances, you may explore appropriate training opportunities and related occupational goals. TAA will sponsor training if your training plan meets TAA requirements and funds are available. Training may occur on-the-job or in a classroom setting and may include college-level courses, technical or vocational training and remedial education. You may receive the balance of your unemployment compensation or TRA funds while you train, as long as you continue to participate in an approved training program. Information about training disqualifications is included on the next page.

JOB SEARCH ALLOWANCESA job search allowance may be payable to cover expenses incurred while seekingemployment outside your commuting area (within the United States). There are time limits for filing applications for job search allowance. You must file for job search allowances within 365 days after the date of the TAA certification or 365 days after the date of your last total qualifying separation (whichever is later), or within 182 days after the completion of TAA-approved training. Your application must be filed and approved before seeking employment outside your commuting area. A TAA counselor in your local American Job Centercenter will help you apply.

RELOCATION ALLOWANCESIf you obtain long-term employment outside your commuting area, requiring relocation within the United States, the TAA program offers financial assistance for you to relocate to your new area of employment. There are time limits for filing an application for relocation allowance. You must file for a relocation allowance within 425 days after the date of the TAA certification or 425 days after your last total qualifying separation (whichever is later), or within 182 days after you complete TAA-approved training. Also, you must relocate within 182 days after you apply for a relocation allowance, or within 182 days after you complete training. Your application must be filed and approvedbefore moving.A TAA counselor in your local American Job Centerwill help you apply.

TRADE READJUSTMENT ALLOWANCES (TRA)

Trade Readjustment Allowances (TRA) provides income support to workers enrolled in full-time training. If you qualify for TRA based on your length of employment, the number of weeks potentially available will depend upon the duration and nature of your training. The maximum amount of TRA that you may receive is a total of 104 weeks. There are 3 types of TRA benefits that you may be entitled to: Basic TRA, Additional TRA, and Completion TRA. Although these benefits may be available, you must qualify for each one of them. Additional details follow on the next page.

There is a training enrollment deadline for TRA:

You must enroll in TAA-Approved training, or obtain a training waiver, before the last day of the 26th week after the date of the Trade Act certification providing your TAA eligibility or the last day of the 26th weekfollowing your most recent qualifying separation, whichever is later. This deadline is also known as “26/26”. The deadline may be extended by 45 days if the Administrator determines that there are extenuating circumstances that justify an extension in the training enrollment period.

BASIC TRA BENEFITSThis type of TRA benefit may be received without being enrolled in TAA approved training if training is not suitable or appropriate and you qualify for a training waiver. Otherwise, you will need to be enrolled in TAA training by your applicable deadline. You may receive up to a maximum of 26 weeks of Basic TRA during a 2-year eligibility period. The 2-year eligibility period begins the first week after your most recent total qualifying separation from adversely affected employment. Your Basic TRA weekly benefit payment amount is the same as your unemployment compensation weekly benefit amount (including dependency allowance).

ADDITIONALTRA BENEFITSIf you are no longer eligible to receive Basic TRA and are participating full-time in an approved TAA training program, you may be entitled to Additional TRA. The waiver from training component stops at the start of Additional TRA. Once Additional TRA payments begin, they must be paid during an eligibility period that runs for consecutive weeks.For petitions numbersabove 85000, you may receive up to 65 weeks of Additional TRA during a 78 week eligibility period. You must also submit a bona fide application* for training to your American Job Center TAA.

*A bona fide application is a signed JS-52/TAA Training Application and Proposal form. It must include a specific occupational training/employment goal, and be signed and dated by you and an agency representative.

COMPLETION TRA BENEFITSYou may receive up to 13 weeks of Completion TRA during a 20-week eligibility period if you complete training during that time and have successfully met established benchmarks while participating in a training plan that will lead to a degree or industry-recognized credential.

WAIVERSThe TRA training requirement may be waived if training is not suitable or appropriate. A waiver may be issued for one of the following reasons:

  • You are unable to participate in training due to your health
  • The first available enrollment date for the approved training is delayed
  • Approved training is not reasonably available to you from eithergovernmental agencies or private sources, training is not available at a reasonable cost, or no training funds are available.

Your waiver may be revoked if training subsequently becomes suitable and appropriate, or you fail to comply with follow-up as directed.

TRAINING AND YOUR AVAILABILITY FOR WORKWhile you are enrolled in TAA-approved training, you will not have to seek or accept employment. You can collect unemployment compensation and your TRA entitlement without being attached to the labor market. If you have completed training, or have had the training requirement waived, you must meet the work search requirements imposed by state and federal law (detailed on form TRA-229/TRA Work Search Requirements).

TRAINING DISQUALIFICATIONSIf you are approved for training and, without justifiable cause, fail to begin or cease participating, you will be ineligible for TRA (if otherwise eligible) and any other payment under the Trade Act, for the week of such occurrence and any week thereafter until the week in which you enter or resume approved training. Justifiable cause would be determined by comparing your actions with the actions of a reasonable individual in a similar circumstance and may include, but is not limited to, reasons beyond your control. If you fail to begin or complete approved training, you may be liable for an overpayment of TAA benefits, including TRA and/or training costs.

Reemployment Trade Adjustment Assistance (RTAA), is a wage supplement for older workers that are willing to be reemployed at a lower salary to receive a wage subsidy up to $10,000 during a 2 year period (whichever comes first). Requirements: Be age50 or older; must be reemployed full-time (35 hours or more), or part-time (must participate full-time in TAA training), from your last qualifying separation from your TAA employment; file your RTAA application within a 2 year period from reemployment; earn $50,000 or less per year from reemployment; and cannot be reemployed at the firm(the TAA certified location). RTAA benefit requirements are detailed on form RTAA Fact Sheet (RTAA-FS1).

HEALTH COVERAGE TAX CREDIT (HCTC)

HCTC is a tax credit available to any TRA or RTAA recipient. If you are determined eligible and have a qualified health plan, you can use the credit to cover 72.5% of the cost of health insurance premium. For more information please visit the IRS’ website at

If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact a Trade Act representative in your local American Job center. For locations visit or call 1(888)-289-6757.